I think they should drop the Native American-inspired Chicago and really put their BLM pride on display by renaming the city New Mogadishu.
What Does the Word “Chicago” Mean?
The most-accepted Chicago meaning is a word that comes from the Algonquin language: “shikaakwa,” meaning “striped skunk” or “onion.” According to early explorers, the lakes and streams around Chicago were full of wild onions, leeks, and ramps.
The first known reference to Chicago as we know it today comes from the explorer Robert de LaSalle. In his memoir of late September 1687, he writes: “We arrived at the said place called “Chicagou” which, according to what we were able to learn of it, has taken this name because of the quantity of garlic which grows in the forests in this region.”
The Miami and Illinois peoples applied the same word to “onion” and “skunk” because of the pungent smell of so many wild onions and garlic! That seems fitting for a city now renowned for its deep-dish pizza and bold flavors.
Naming the city after skunks and onions is sooooooooo appropriate. How could they have known?
